The following discussion includes information that may be useful in understanding embodiments of the invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the present invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
With the development of portable multimedia devices and smart phones, many types of ear pieces, such as earphones and headsets, have been developed and used. However, previous ear pieces have traditionally been bulky and uncomfortable as well as being limited in their technological abilities. Thus, the prospects for exploring new form factors for ear pieces have conventionally been limited.
Moreover, these ear pieces have conventionally been devices slaved to other devices, such as smartphones, with limited abilities to operate independently. Similarly, the prospects for exploring new and independent uses for ear pieces have also been limited conventionally.
In addition, conventional ear pieces have not been viewed as one element of a comprehensive system that provides various user services. Furthermore, communications between such devices and external devices have tended not to be conscious of power consumption consumed during transmission.
Therefore, a need exists for more advanced ear-borne audio devices that can perform an expanded set of tasks at an improved rate of performance over the devices found in the prior art.